The Legend of the Great Horse » The Great Horse

The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy – on Twitter!

Admin2 — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:17:17 +0000

The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy is now on Twitter … follow us @TheGreatHorse

We plan to share updates about the trilogy, along with interesting news, quotes and info about horses & history. Come by and say hi!

The 3 Rules of “The Great Horse”

admin — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:45:31 +0000

These guidelines have been issued by The Bridgestone Institute in the interest of protecting generally innocent but unwary victims, by assisting in the identification of any suspected “Great Horse” (or “Horses”) … and specifically to rescue one such individual, Meagan Roberts, who vanished from a suburb of California in June of 2001 and is currently considered quite hopelessly lost.

The Three (3) Rules of The Great Horse (aka “3 Great Rules”) are derived from legends and (possibly apocryphal) history associated with the supernatural equine manifestation herein and heretofore described as “The Great Horse.”

Rule #1

(alternative labeling: The Great Horse Rule Numero Uno)

The Great Horse is born at dawn.

Rule #2

(aka the Bucephalus Rule, or bronco-loco-mojo-juju)

No one may ride a Great Horse
without the owner’s permission.

Rule #3

(otherwise known as “the Bummer Clause”)

No one but the owner of the Great Horse
will believe the legend.

* Available information is admittedly scant, being virtually (and actually) limited to words the above, and no ascertainment of its validity or usefulness will be described. – The Bridgestone Institute Law Office

#39- The End of “Prey”

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:08:00 +0000

Meagan wanted to believe the dark men tightening their circle were anything but what they seemed, anything but primitives on a well-scripted hunt…

The spooked horses stampeded into the deadly corridor. The gray mare swung with the herd as Meagan grabbed mane and fought to stay mounted. Packed bodies crushed against her and she was carried with the torrent.

Walls of rock blurred as the band plunged down the canyon. The close-running herd squeezed against her legs, threatening to pull her into the flashing hooves. There was no way to stop and a fall would mean a trampled death. The corridor curved ahead, and Meagan felt the ground begin to slope. The left wall vanished as the first shrill screams tore the air.

“PROMISE!”

The gray mare collided into the horse in front and scrambled to remain upright. Meagan buried her face into her mount’s neck, closing her eyes for the impact from behind. She fell into the rolling mass, holding the gray tightly as they were torn from the earth.

Excerpted from Eclipsed by Shadow, the award-winning 1st volume of “The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy. (Hrdbk pg. 101)

Book II: The Golden Spark will be published Fall 2010.

Read the 1st Chapter online!

#38- The Horse Hunt

admin — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 17:41:48 +0000

Mounted on a prehistoric horse, Meagan sees horse-hunting from a different point of view…

The tribe advanced, slowly tightening their circle as the herd milled in confusion. The only apparent escape was the deadly corridor between the rocks. The lead mare paced, trying to find another way before committing to the canyon’s blind entrance.

Meagan swallowed, remembering that horses were a delicacy of primitive man. Prehistoric bands of humans had ranged near such rocky formations, luring herds into blind alleys and driving them from cliffs. She remembered the caves of Lascaux in France which held the remains of thousands of horses killed some fifteen thousand years before. Thirteen millennia before the Year of our Lord.

She wished she had not read so many books.

A wisp shot past the men, a figure—a girl—running alone into the circle. Horses shied from her path. The figure slowed to a walk, approaching Meagan and the frightened mare. It was the silent girl who had tried to follow. Her crystal eyes held wonder. Thin fingers stretched to touch the gray’s matted coat, stopping short…

Excerpted from Eclipsed by Shadow, the award-winning 1st volume of “The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy. (Hrdbk pg. 100)

Book II: The Golden Spark will be published Fall 2010.

Read the 1st Chapter online!

#37- The Horse-killers

admin — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:42:33 +0000

20,000 years ago today…

A shape caught her attention: a person was squatting in the grass. One of the horse-killers. Meagan tensed and instantly every horse’s head was up. The lead mare froze and looked past the squatting figure as she tried to get a scent in the calm air. A horse’s eyes are made to detect motion, and if the man made the slightest tremor the mare would recognize the danger. But she required that tremor.

Another man lay behind the mare, prostrate a hundred feet away. He crept so slowly Meagan could track his movement only by marking the grass’s separation. Another man was beside the others—and another. The horse-killers surrounded them.

Looking again at the canyon walls covered with paintings, Meagan realized why it looked familiar. She had seen these canyon walls—from the other side of the cliff.

“Run!” she shouted. The horses could escape if they would only gallop away. “Go on!” She urged her mount forward but the untaught gray mare only balked. Then the stallion nipped the furthest horses to herd them closer and caught the scent of the hunters. His shrill trumpet cut the air and the electrified band swerved to take flight—but the men stood all at once and the startled horses wheeled to the center.

The tribe advanced, slowly tightening their circle as the herd milled in confusion. The only apparent escape was the deadly corridor between the rocks…

Excerpted from Eclipsed by Shadow,

the award-winning 1st volume of “The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy. (Hrdbk pg. 100)

Book II: The Golden Spark will be published Fall 2010.

Read the 1st Chapter online!

#36- The First Ride

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:49:21 +0000

A prehistoric horse herd-inspection…

“It’s all right,” Meagan calmly told the wary circle of horses. She moved slowly as individual horses stepped closer to sniff suspiciously. “I’m not going to hurt you.” She stroked the gray mare’s neck to show her good intentions.

The herd’s stallion trotted fretfully around the edges of his band. A stallion may choose his group but he is not the boss. Equine society is based on friendships and roles—the stallion was waiting for the group’s leader to make a decision, and he wished she would hurry.

The actual chief was a squat sorrel mare. She paced around Meagan with tight steps, her head held stiff and high. She was not pleased. Yes, this noisy pale monkey was interesting, mildly, taking a predator’s position to do nothing but gurgle. But the mare was impatient. She had a specific destination in mind today, a sheltered area with quality grass. The clinging creature was plainly too clumsy to be a concern, so perhaps a good day’s grazing could still be had.

To Meagan’s relief the sorrel mare snorted and swung around. The stallion moved to the rear as the herd fell into a brisk trot. “Really, I won’t be any trouble,” Meagan assured the horses as they moved off, patting her mount’s coarse neck. The little mare flattened her ears and crow-hopped.

Excerpted from Eclipsed by Shadow, the award-winning 1st volume of “The Legend of the Great Horse” trilogy. (Hrdbk pg. 98)

Book II: The Golden Spark will be published Fall 2010.

Read the 1st Chapter online!